Lubrication apparatus



ATTORNEY G. F. GAYER LUBRICATION APPARATUS Filed Aug. 28, 1940 Oct. 27, 1942 R n m H m G HHJ .H ..W[ 4 U .w m. G Q 0 w mN N unflnn H -L- m I III N V mm hm .n E F k mm FW 5 an m 5. v 0+ 2 0m & W om r. 2 a W S N W h W O spindle, the collar Patented Oct. 27, 1942 2,300,284 LUBRICATION APPARATUS George F. Gayer, Prospect Park, Pa., assignor to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 28, 1940, Serial No. 354,513 1 Claim. (Cl. 184-6) The invention relates to a lubricated bearing construction for a vertical spindle normally operating in a high temperature environment and it has for an object to provide means for circulating oil through a cooler for heat dissipation and to provide oil adequate in quantity and at a sufficiently low temperature for proper lubrication of the bearing surfaces.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus, for example, an elastic fluid turbine, having a vertical spindle, which has weight thereof sustained by a thrust bearing and wherein the axis is maintained in predetermined relation by means of a steady bearing together with means providing for circulation of oil in order to dissipate spindle heat and to limit the hearing and oil temperatures.

These and other objects are effected by the invention as will be apparent from the following description and claim taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view with portions broken away and other portions shown in section; and,

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view, drawn to larger scale, of features of the bearing construction.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, an elastic fluid turbine is shown, at In, the turbine including a casing II and a vertical spindle l2 having a blade disc I3. Elastic fluid is supplied to the turbine through a governor valve It controlled by the governor, at l5, preferably provided at the upper end of the spindle.

Weight of the spindle is carried by the thrust hearing it comprised, for example, by segmental shoes I! and by a collar l8 attached to the bearing surface cooperating with the bearing surfaces 2| on the shoes.

A steady or radial bearing 23 is arranged below the thrust bearing and it includes a journal 24 attached to the spindle and cooperating with the bearing surface of the bushing 25. The segmental shoes I! and the bushing 25 are carried by a supporting or body structure 26 supported by a conical plate 21 from the upper side of the turbine casing H.

The supporting plate 21 cooperates with structure 28 to provide a lubricant reservoir 30 encompassing the spindle l2, such structure preferably including an upwardly extending sleeve 31 about which is telescopically disposed the journal 24. Normally, oil is maintained in the l ltll reservoir 30 at such a level that the lower end of the steady bearing is submerged therein.

The lower portions 32 and 33 of the steady bearing 23 provide a viscosity pump including a helical groove 34 provided on one of said portions, preferably the journal, the pump having a capacity adequate to supply the steady and thrust bearings and to obtain sufficient flow to a cooler to dissipate heat flowing along the spindle from the interior of the turbine to the bearings. The viscosity pump discharges oil for passage between the bearing surface of the steady bearing and through the passage 35 and the conduit 36, including the valve 31, to the cooler 38. Oil is returned from the cooler to the reservoir by means of the conduit 39.

Oil escaping from the upper end of the steady bearing 23 is used to lubricate the thrust bearing; and, to this end, the stationary structure 26 and the bushing are constructed and arranged to provide an annular channel 41 for the segmental shoes ll, the thrust bearing surfaces 2| of the latter, the thrust bearing surface 20 of the thrust collar, the top edge of the annular wall 42 carried by the bushing and the drainage port 43 all being so relatively arranged as to assure maintenance of sufficient oil in the channel for proper lubrication of such bearing surfaces.

In operation, the major portion of the flow due to the viscosity pump is supplied from the latter to the cooler from which cooled oil is returned to the reservoir, thereby providing a cooling circuit for oil in order to dissipate heat. In addition, the viscosity pump supplies oil for passage between the bearing surfaces of the steady bearing to lubricate such surfaces, and the oil escaping from the upper end of the steady bearing flows over the top edge of the annular wall 42 to maintain the channel 4| filled sufficiently for lubrication of the thrust bearing surfaces 20 and 2|, oil discharging from the channel 4|, through the drain port 43, to the drain passage 44 for return to the reservoir 30. As shown, the drain passage 44 is provided by a conduit whose upper end is located in the upper portion of the governor housing to vent the reservoir.

If desired, oil may be supplied from the discharge side of the viscosity pump for lubricating any other suitable part or apparatus. For example, the governor, at I5, is shown as having parts thereof lubricated by means of a tube 45 supplied with oil from the passage 35 by means of an orifice 46.

The reservoir 30 is provided with a filling tube 41 by means of which the reservoir may be region, said steady bearing including a vertical filled with oil to the desired level. journal element forming a part of the spindle Should it be desired to isolate the cooler for structure and a cooperating bearing element, and any reason without shutting down the turbine, said system including means for dissipating heat this may be done by closing the valve 31, where- 5 absorbed by the lubricant: means providing a upon the apparatus continues to operate to luchamber to hold oil so as to submerge the thrust bricate the bearing surfaces of the steady and bearing surfaces; a viscosity pump below the thrust bearings but without cooling of the oil. steady bearing and including an outer member While the viscosity pump is shown as being connected to said bearing element and an inner incorporated in parallel circulating paths of flow member forming a part of the spindle structure, of oil, the first path including the cooler and said members having cooperating cylindrical surthe second path including the series arrangement faces providing an annular space communicating o st ady nd t ru t bea ings, it will be apand in axial alignment with the annular space parent that any suitable arrangement of these of the steady bearing so that the latter space parts may be employed so long as the viscosity may be supplied with oil from the pump space; pump is efiective to circulate oil to the cooler a reservoir arranged so that oil therein suband the bearings. merges the lower end of the viscosity pump, one

While the invention has been shown in but one of the viscosity pump members having a spiral form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the groove formed in its cylindrical surface and the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of groove cooperating with the cylindrical surfaces various changes and modifications without deto convey oil from the reservoir and through parting from the spirit thereof, and it is desired, th nnular space of the pump, the junction portherefore, that only such limitations shall be tion of the pump and bearing annular spaces, and placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the bearing annular space to said chamber; pase ppended claim. sageway means for withdrawing oil from the What is claimed is: junction portion of said bearing and pump spaces In a lubricating system for a thrust bearing and for returning such oil to the reservoir; and

and for an adjacent and depending steady bearmeans providing for the return to the reservoir ing adapted to support from its upper end a verof oil overflowing from said chamber.

tical spindle structure having a substantial portion thereof operative in an elevated temperature GEORGE F. GAYER. 

